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Diet plays important role in risk of developing AMD
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MIAMI — A patient’s diet influences the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, regardless of genetics, according to a speaker here.
“Previous literature suggests you can eat away your genetic risk. In other words, if you’re at terrible risk, you can actually change that with your diet. AREDS analysis shows some significant interaction with your genes, but it’s also important in those without high genetic risk. It’s important to recommend a good diet for everyone,” Emily Y. Chew, MD, said at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017. “Genetic testing for AMD should not be done prior to looking at your diet.”
Maintaining a healthy diet is more important than one’s genetics when determining if a patient is at risk of developing early or late AMD, Chew said. Genotyping is not informative for a patient, given that a healthy diet reduces the risk of developing AMD.
Chew noted the results of the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which found patients with two risk alleles for the complement factor H phenotype who consumed fish once a week were at a reduced risk for late AMD compared with those who had less than a weekly consumption of fish. Smoking in patients with similar high genetic risk factors increased late AMD by five times, she said.
“I suggest that we do not do genetic testing in these patients. Dietary information is important, but certainly it’s good for all patients regardless of genotyping,” Chew said. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
Chew EY. Genetics and nutrition in AMD. Presented at: Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017; Feb. 11, 2017; Miami.
Disclosure: Chew reports no relevant financial disclosures.